Letter Box

Posted:
08/12/2014 03:00:00 AM EDT

Support for White

Editor of the Reformer:

I am writing in support of the re-election of Senator Jeanette White to represent Windham County. I worked with her for three years on many issues while I was in the Statehouse and I found her to be very responsive to legislators and constituents. She always jumped into an issue with both feet.

Jeanette is a great listener and that also means she will act on what she hears, to the benefit of Vermonters. She is easy to approach and talk to and spends much of her free time here in Windham County working tirelessly for constituents.

She is often attending all sorts of local meetings on a variety of issues throughout Windham County. While legislators don’t always agree on issues, and that was the case once in a while between Jeanette and me, she would always be willing to discuss all viewpoints. Even when we did not agree we could always continue to talk in a friendly manner.

I also believe that it is important to have someone with Jeanette’s skill and status representing us. She will be able to hit the ground running. As a committee chair of Government Operations, a lot of the work she does has a direct effect on Vermonters daily lives.

I hope you can join me in voting for Jeanette in the primary on Tuesday, Aug. 26.

Daryl Pillsbury,

Brattleboro, Aug. 8

Support for Barnett

Editor of the Reformer:

I am writing this letter in support of Lamont Barnett for Assistant Judge.

Advertisement

I have known Monte for many years. Each year for the last 20 years we team together during Old Home Days to bring Bellows Falls one of the best fireworks display in New England. When someone needed to step up and take on the responsibility of raising money for the event he was there, and did so without hesitation. This is the kind of dedication that he has shown for his community for much of the last thirty years. Whether it’s on the many boards and commissions he has served on, or the many community projects that he works on, we all have benefited from his hard work. I am also well aware of his work as an assistant judge for the last two years. Judge Barnett’s experience in court performing his judicial and administrative duties, as well as his two decades of work in municipal government makes him the best candidate without question. I recommend looking at his website www.votelamont.com and I urge you to join me in voting for Lamont Barnett Windham County Assistant Judge on Aug. 26.

Brent Lisai,

Bellows Falls, Aug. 8

Allbee is no Democrat

Editor of the Reformer:

I was shocked to find out that Roger Allbee was running for the State Senate as a Democrat. While it is true that in Vermont you do not register with a political party, you are required to indicate which party’s nomination you are seeking when you run for public office. When Mr. Allbee ran for the Windham-5 (Newfane-Townshend-Marlboro) House seat in 2002 against current Democratic Representative Dick Marek, he ran as a Republican.

When he has been asked about this, Allbee has stated that he was a liberal Republican and that the Vermont Republican Party no longer has room for "moderates" like him. I find this extremely strange. I would say our state’s Republican Party has become more moderate, not less, in comparison to the "Take Back Vermont" movement that was happening when Allbee ran for the House. Clearly, if he really is providing an honest answer and not trying to politically dance around this issue, he thought the super-conservative, anti-LGBT Republican Party had room for "moderates" like him.

In response to his party switch, I have heard Allbee say that political labels ultimately do not matter. How does that make sense? This is the same man who has made a conscious effort to distance himself from his past as a Republican, and supposedly chose to switch to become a Democrat because his now-moderate party does not have room for "guys like him." It sounds like political labels matter to Allbee a lot, so much so that he is making sure folks are aware that he is a Democrat now.

To me, Allbee’s newfound party identity is political opportunism at its best. it shows a complete lack of integrity and character that invalidate any attributes he might have as a candidate regardless of party standing. The truth is clear: Roger Allbee is a Republican who is running as a Democrat because he knows he would not win running in our county with his true party identity. Integrity and character matter in a candidate. As far as I am concerned, Allbee has neither, nor will he have my vote.

Bill Davis,

Brattleboro, Aug. 3

Think about the animals

Editor of the Reformer:

With the Senate primary only weeks away, I’m reminded me of a topic that’s important to Vermonters that doesn’t always make the headlines ... animal welfare. Let’s not forget to ask our candidates before the Aug. 26 primary what their views are on improving our animal welfare laws. Vermont has the largest per capita rate of pet ownership in the country according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

One of the Windham County candidates vying for a seat is Senator Jeanette White, who is a past recipient of the Humane Society of the United State’s "Humane State Legislator Award" for her work to improve the regulation of pet breeders, and she has been a stalwart advocate of animal welfare legislation in Montpelier.

Sure, there are lots of issues that are important to us all, but the animals we share our lives with can’t lobby for themselves.

Welcome to your discussion forum: Click the login link below to sign in with or to set up a Disqus account or to access your social networking account. When you do, your comment should be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (What are the guidelines?.) Report abuse by flagging a comment (mouse over the comment). Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Brattleboro Reformer. So keep it civil.

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A West Texas man has been charged with impersonating an officer by using sirens and flashing lights to skip to the head of the drive-thru line at a fast-food restaurant. Full Story

Sufjan Stevens, "Carrie & Lowell" (Asthmatic Kitty) Plucked strings and pulsing keyboards dominate the distinctive arrangements on Sufjan Stevens' latest album, and in the absence of a rhythm section, they serve to keep time. Full Story